Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Productive day so far!!!

So far we have gotten a lot done! In math we reviewed adding and subtracting fractions and two-digit by two-digit multiplication. While the students worked independently, I met with two small groups to practice solving algebraic equations. The children need to complete their classwork for homework.

In reading we discussed the possibility of writing poems and compiling the poems into books and then having a poetry reading and party to end the school year. I told the children that they would need to work hard during independent work time in order for this to happen. So, today they worked on reading group assignments and cinquain poems while I met with all three (!!!!!) reading groups.

Mouse: Reread chapter 2 and answered an RRJ in their journal. They met with me and began reading chapter 3.

Onion Tears: Read pages 16-31 and answered an RRJ. Met with me and read and discussed pages 1-15 including why Nam can cry when she is chopping onions but not at other times. We had a great discussion.

Jumanji: Read the third portion of the book and responded to an RRJ in their journals. Reread the portion with me and predicted what will happen next.

Following lunch and recess we will discuss and I will model developing the problem and solution in their writing. Many students are taking great care to introduce the setting and their characters...using MANY sentences for this (which IS good) but the writing the problem of the story in one sentence and the solution in the next sentence. So, the bulk of their writing is the background not the plot.

We will end the day by thinning our plants with Mr. Vogel's class. Some of our plants haven't grown so well.